The Ugly Stepsister
by ohmygodthecringe
Summary: My stepsister, Haruhi Fujioka, is perfect in every way. She is smart, kind, beautiful, and loved by six handsome princes. She is everything that I am not, and everything that I wish but cannot be. Everyday is just a constant reminder on how I can never be her.
1. The Perfect Daughter

**The Perfect Daughter**

"Hello, my name is Haruhi Fujioka and it's nice to meet you," the girl said.

Gritting my teeth, I kept my face blank before introducing myself. But before I could open my mouth to say anything, the childish voice of my younger sister rang out.

"Nice to meet you too onee-san!" She giggled before jumping onto Haruhi, squeezing her in her scrawny but strong arms. Her silk, jet-black hair was tied into piggy tails, and she was still wearing her Elementary school uniform that made her look like a character from Sailor Moon. Haruhi's eyes widened a bit from surprise, but her expression relaxed and she returned my younger sister's hug. Mother smiled as she watched the two girls while standing next to me.

"These are my two daughters, Hitomi and Hotaru Hayashi. I am Akira Hayashi, but I don't mind what you choose to call me," my mother's soft eyes twinkled. Her caramel hair was pulled back into a loose, low ponytail, and even though she wore simple clothes, she still looked stunning. I looked nothing like her. My long, thin hair seemed stringy compared to my mother's fluffy curls.

"My, you're really as pretty as Ryoji described!" My mother was gazing at Haruhi with sparkling eyes; she was genuinely happy to have met her.

"And your daughters are sooo adorable! Well, they'll soon be my daughters too!" Haruhi's father, "Ryoji" suddenly pulled me into a tight hug.

"You're just so cute I could just squeeze you super hard!" I couldn't breathe. Pushing him away from me and gasping for air, I heard Hotaru giggle. When I looked up, I saw Hotaru being spun around while being hugged my our soon-to-be stepfather.

"Wheeee!" She was smiling while closing her eyes and my mother started laughing. I stared at her. I hadn't seen her laugh like that for years...

"Let's not have too much fun now," mother scooped Hotaru out from her fiance's arms. My younger sister gently kissed mother's cheek before being set down.

"Is this man going to be our new daddy?" She asked sweetly. Upon hearing the word "daddy," the man named Ryoji brought both his hands up to his face, and he started swooning over how adorable Hotaru was as if he was some love-sick high school girl.

"Awww! You sweet thing! Yes! Call me daddy from now on!" Hotaru was picked up and spun around once again. I had been watching the scene before me while wearing an emotionless mask; my face did not betray a single thought that I was thinking or a single emotion that I was feeling. To onlookers, I would've seemed to be an ocean of calm, a pillar of peace. No one would suspect that a storm of ugly emotions swarmed inside of me.

I was staring at _her._ She had the perfect shade of chocolate brown hair, and an angelic smile painted on that perfect, porcelain face. She wore the same kind expression my mother did, and to observers it would have seemed as if Haruhi was actually my mother's daughter, not me.

"We should get going," Ryoji gently set Hotaru down on the ground once more as he glanced at his watch.

We all ate dinner together at a Traditional Japanese Restaurant, and my sister and I were asked many questions by Ryoji. My answers were all short and to the point, and I let Hotaru ramble on and on about herself. For a six-year-old, she had a lot of things to say. Mother would ask Haruhi questions about herself as well, and her responses were only slightly longer than mine. Slightly.

The food served a the restaurant was decent enough but in general, dinner was too loud. Hotaru enjoyed every moment of it of course; she rarely got to eat with mom or at a restaurant. She had always complained about how all her other friends got to eat at family restaurants often while she was always stuck at home eating whatever I cooked her. I wasn't a horrible cook, but I wasn't a good one either. According to Ryoji however, Haruhi was a wonderful cook. Of course she would be.

"So Hitomi, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time?" The man gave me a warm smile that resembled his daughter's, and his warm eyes were twinkling at me. Looking down at my bowl, I gently stirred the remainder of my udon with my chopsticks.

"Nothing really," I lied in a flat tone. He chuckled.

"You and Haruhi sure have similar personalities, I hope you girls will get along," I looked over at Haruhi, who looked as if she was in bliss as she devoured her tuna.

"Yes..." I resumed eating my dinner despite being full to avoid any more conversation. Mother kept on smiling and laughing throughout the night even though her fiance wasn't particularly funny. Hotaru also beamed continuously; she loved seeing mom happy, that's all she really wanted. Hotaru never stopped moving that tiny mouth of hers: she even told Ryoji about the time she pushed down this one boy who wouldn't get off of the swing even though his turn was up.

I felt so numb throughout the evening; I felt tired, and the noises and voices around me were just muffled sound. It was like watching a T.V show: I was not a part of it. Everything felt surreal, and I felt as if I was disconnected from reality. The restaurant I was sitting in, the food I was eating, the people I talked to, they just seemed as if they were from some distant memory, or a dream even. This can't be happening. No. Everything was fine before, it was always just me, my sister, and mother. No one else was in the picture, no one else. But starting from now, things will be different.

Even though she didn't say anything, I knew that Mother liked Haruhi very much. _Haruhi_ is an honors student; she's on a scholarship and attends the most prestigious school in Japan, Ouran Academy. The school where only the very rich and fortunate could go to. _Haruhi_ is a wonderful cook, and she has many friends at school and is well-liked by everyone. _Haruhi_ has big, doe-like eyes that could melt even the coldest of hearts. _Haruhi_ has a sweet, warm smile that rivals even Hotaru's. _Haruhi_ is my mother's dream child. _Haruhi_ is the benevolent, beautiful princess in the fairy tale stories I read as a child. _Haruhi_ is snow-white; _Haruhi_ is Cinderella. _Haruhi,_ is everything that I'm not.


	2. The Handsome Princes

**The Handsome Princes**

"But mom-"

"Dear, please. It would mean so much to me if you spent more time with her, you're going to be sisters soon after all! And Ryoji wanted to see you today, so please?" My mother's eyes pleaded for me to say yes. And of course, I couldn't say no. Not to my mom.

"Okay," I slipped on my impassive mask. Mother had asked me to spend more time with Haruhi and to get her know her better. After school, I was supposed to go to Haruhi's school after picking up Hotaru, and then go to her house to have dinner with her and her father. Her school was about five miles away from Hotaru's, and I'm not sure if my legs can pedal that far with Hotaru as extra weight. But, it's what mother wants me to do.

"Yay! We get to eat with daddy!" Hotaru giggled before stuffing her face with more chocolate cereal. I forced myself not to flinch after hearing the word "daddy".

"That's my good girl," mom patted me on the head while she gave me a warm smile.

After breakfast, I dropped off Hotaru at her school. Because we only had one bike, she'd sit on the back everyday. Mom usually left to for work a little after we left for school, and wouldn't come home until late at night.

As I rode towards my school, I noted to myself to tell my teachers that I'd be moving soon. There wasn't going to be an official "wedding." Mom and Ryoji were just going to sign some papers that would legally register them as a married couple, and then afterwards we all would move into a new apartment. Afterwards, I would be attending Ouran Public High School and Hotaru would be attending Ouran Elementary. There was no way I would get into Ouran Academy even if I wanted to; entrance exams aren't given out as if they're free. Haruhi was just an exception since her grades were perfect. My grades were average, so even if Haruhi's prestigious school was offering more entrance exams I wouldn't be invited to take it. It doesn't matter though, I'm already really busy with work.

After school, I'd pick up Hotaru and take her to my workplace. Today was my day off. I only work when the daycare gives me a call, so on average I only work there for three days a week. I work as a part-time assistant at "Niji Daycare," for children ranging from the ages one to eight. On weekends, I work at a music store owned by an old man. He's grouchy, but I can tolerate him pretty well. I love my week-day job. As creepy as it may sound, I really like being around kids. Sure, they're loud, messy, and annoying sometimes but they're so innocent and honest. When children say something, there isn't any other hidden meaning behind them; they say what they really mean.

I find it difficult to connect with kids my own age. Most the girls at my school only talk about make-up, clothes, the latest J pop stars, boys, upcoming dances, or school; I'm not saying that they're all shallow. I'm sure there's plenty of great girls out there, but I don't have time for friends. And frankly, I don't really want any. Any _"friends"_ that I make at school are just temporary; the next year, the people who you sat with at lunch will have grown tired of you and will have moved on to other people. Every year you'll have to make new friends and find _another_ bunch of people who you have to "fit in" with. It's too tiring and pointless. After High school, you won't really see each other again anyways. It will just be a distant memory, and you won't even remember the names of most of those people.

I do have close friends, yes, but they're all younger than me. Most of my friends are kids from the daycare! But I don't mind. But my one and only best friend is my younger sister Hotaru. She may be only six years old, but she is a very clever girl. She can read me like an open book even when my emotions are concealed from the rest of the world. When something is off about me, she is the first to catch on and find out. She is okay with mom remarrying not because she wants a father, but because she knows that it'll make mom happy. She's so altruistic, so pure.

Last night, when we came home from the restaurant, Hotaru asked me if I was feeling alright. I just told her I was tired, but I knew that she didn't believe me. But, she knew I wasn't going to talk about it so she dropped the subject.

I arrived at my school's driveway, so I hopped off of my bike. The girls and boys all wore the same thing; black dress pants, white button-up shirts, black ties, shoes, and black blazers. We all looked like an army of lawyers, clad in suits. I rather liked how both genders were given the same uniform, but many girls at the school complained against it. I can't see why though; sure, the uniform doesn't look very flattering on the ladies. But, in the winter our legs aren't freezing off and we don't have to worry about accidentally flashing someone.

School dragged by as the usual, and the homework load was a little heavier than normal. I was able to quickly bike to Hotaru's school, and sure enough she was at the front patiently waiting for me.

"Onee-san!" She gave me a wide-toothed grin, and after I skidded to a halt she climbed up to the back of the bike and held onto me.

"Was today fun?" I asked her as I started pedaling. Her head was resting on my backpack but I still felt her head nod.

"That's good," we exited the school's driveway and entered the street. I directed the bike over towards the bike lane, and started pedaling faster.

"Are we going to see our new sister?" Hotaru's voice was slightly muffled due to the wind rushing past us, but I could still understand what she was saying with that tiny voice of hers.

"Yeah," I said. We were speeding down, and the world around us was just one colorful blur.

 _Later..._

My sister laughed happily as she was spun around by a blonde boy, who eerily reminded me of Haruhi's dad. A crowd of girls cooed at her, commenting on how adorable she was. The female, yellow-wearing students of Ouran either ignored my presence or openly stared at me.

When Hotaru and I walked in, the first person we saw was that blonde dude. When he asked us who we were, Hotaru answered for us. After Hotaru said that Tamaki looked like a "handsome prince," the guy was so overjoyed he started spinning my sister around.

"That's Haruhi's sister? They look nothing alike!"

"Well, she isn't related to her," were the whispers that circulated around me.

I walked over to the loud blonde who kept on spinning my sister around. In one, swift motion, I scooped her out of his arms and held her close to me. Her head was spinning around in little circles from dizziness, but her face was still smiling widely.

"That was fun!" She nuzzled into me.

"Kawaii!" A group of girls squealed. Have these people never seen a child before? What was this place anyway? My eyes quickly scanned the room, searching for Haruhi. I found her, sitting at a table with some other girls, and they appeared to be talking about something. I was about to walk over when a hand grabbed my arm. Turning my head, I saw it was that blonde boy again.

"Forgive me for not introducing myself, my name is Tamaki Suoh, lovely princess," he bowed as if he was a fairy tale prince. My face remained blank. Hotaru tugged on my sleeve, and I set her back down.

"I'm looking for Haruhi Fujioka," I said.

"But wouldn't you rather spend time with me?" He tilted my face up towards his, and my eyes widened in surprise. Fighting down a rising blush, I couldn't find the right words to say. He took my silence as a good thing, and then went down on one knee.

"Will this lovely princess please tell me what her name is?" He brought my hand to his lips, and kissed it. My mouth was hanging open now, and my usual stoic mask was absent. Quickly shutting my mouth, I pulled my hand away.

"Hitomi Hayashi. Now if you'll be so kind to tell me-"

"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl!" He cut me off. I slightly frowned, but then I washed away my face from any emotion.

"Can you tell me where Haruhi-"

"Why is it that you can only think about Haruhi, princess! Why oh why can't you pay attention to me for once, please..." Tears fell from his violet eyes, but I felt no mercy. He cut me off twice.

"Listen pal, I didn't come here to see you so can you just back off?" Even though I said it like a robot, I could tell that I hurt his feelings for real. He immediately retreated to a corner of the room where he sulked in a tiny ball.

"How rude of her! She hurt poor Tamaki!" A swarm of girls rushed over to the boy's side in order to comfort him, and I was even more confused now. Was this some sort of Butler cafe? I'm pretty sure this is part of some act, right?

"You must be Haruhi's new stepsister, Hitomi and Hotaru Hayashi, am I correct?" A calm voice said. I saw this nerd with glasses, holding a book. Well, he wasn't bad-looking for a- wait...he's pretty good looking actually. I glanced around the room. _All_ the boys were attractive. Well, there was this one boy who appeared to be ten years old, maybe he was the younger brother of someone.

"Hitomi, I'm surprised to see you here," Haruhi said as she walked towards me. She was wearing the guy's uniform, and I didn't blame her.

"My mother suggested that we went home with you, since we would be eating dinner there later anyway. " I said calmly. She gave me a closed-eye smile.

"Sure, but you'll have to wait for a little bit until the club closes."

"We get to go to big sister's house?" Hotaru said sweetly while tilting her head.

"Sister? But Haruhi's a boy!" Said one girl. Hotaru frowned in confusion, and I did too. Before she could open her tiny mouth to say anything, the boy in glasses said:

"She means that Haruhi looks attractive enough to pass off as a girl, isn't that right Hotaru?" He gave my sister a menacing smile, and she understood what he was saying. Although his face was smiling, it was obvious that he was telling Hotaru non-verbally that if she said anything then something bad would happen to her.

"Y-yes!" She squeaked with terror in her eyes. I whipped my head around and glared at the guy. How dare he threaten Hotaru!

"Aww, your such a sweet little thing!" The girl smiled at my sister while patting her head. Hotaru visibly relaxed, and then a little blonde boy came by.

"Would you like to eat cake with me?" Said the boy sweetly. Hotaru gazed at me with sparkling eyes, begging me to approve. I nodded my head, and once she skipped away happily with the young boy I glared at the other guy in glasses.

"Is something the matter, Miss Hayashi?" He said in a cool voice, as if he did nothing wrong.

"Yes, there is. May I have a word with you?" I growled in a low voice. I did not like this guy. Threatening a child?! How did no one else notice him smiling coldly at Hotaru earlier forcing her to lie about Haruhi's gender?! If this room was empty, I would've slapped the glasses right off his pale little face!

"Of course," he led me away to a quieter corner of the room.

"What was the meaning of that?!" I hissed.

"There is no reason to be hostile. I see that Haruhi has not told you about her current circumstance. I'm sure she will explain later, but for now do keep in mind that her gender must be kept a secret due to her...unique situation." I narrowed my eyes at him. He wasn't apologizing!

"But that's still not a valid reason to intimidate a child," he gave me a fake, polite smile.

"I'm terribly sorry, but I only did what I had to in that situation. I hope that this minor incident will be condoned," he said coolly. Sighing, I slipped on my emotionless mask to hide how _badly_ I wanted to punch this guy.

"Of course, since you've done _nothing_ wrong," sarcasm dripped from my voice. Turning on my heel I walked back to where Haruhi and Hotaru were at. Haruhi, along with a group of girls were listening as Hotaru once again recounted the story about pushing a boy off the swings.

"He cried, but it's okay because I gave him a cookie later," she finished with her childish voice. She had some frosting on her face.

"Awww, you're so sweet!" Cooed a girl with shoulder-length hair.

"Hotaru-chan, you should be a little nicer next time," said Haruhi.

"Don't worry! He and I are now best friends!" She giggled. When she saw me walking towards her, her smile grew brighter and she leaped off the lap of the girl she was on, and ran towards me.

"Onee-san!" She jumped up towards me, and I luckily caught her in my arms.

"I was just talking to Big Brother and his new friends!" She gestured towards Haruhi.

"That's nice," I said in a monotone voice. Still holding the child in my arms, I glanced at Haruhi.

"The Host club will be closing in about thirty minutes, can you wait until then?" I merely nodded, and I set Hotaru down who then ran off towards the direction of the little blonde boy from earlier.

I ended up sitting with Haruhi the whole time, incredulous to how the girls couldn't see that Haruhi was also one too. Observing the other hosts, I was able to conclude that this was some sort of Butler café. Based on other people's conversations(that I eavesdropped on) Tamaki was supposed to be the "Prince type,"which would explain why he was behaving so strangely when he met me. The little blonde boy who Hotaru was enjoying cake with is apparently a senior, and the passive-faced boy next to him is his cousin. There are two twins who are mischievous, I don't really remember their names, and that horrible nerd who non-verbally threatened Hotaru is Kyoya. He's some sort of accountant for this "Host club," and by far my least favorite. It's so creepy how he's always typing something on his computer. Why is someone as quiet and studious as Haruhi associating with such a dubious group of boys?

Haruhi's "guests" kept on asking me questions, to which I gave short, one-worded answers to. I was trying to appear cold, so that they would leave me alone. To my dismay, the girls would squeal and rant about how "cool" I was. I'm starting to suspect that everyone who goes to this school is crazy.

When the Host club closed, I was just about ready to take Haruhi and get out as fast as I could but a pair of twins stopped me.

"Now where do you think you're going?" Said thing one.

"Yeah, you haven't even introduced yourself to us," said thing two. Hotaru skipped towards me.

"Onee-san! Mori-san and Honey-san and I had a lot of yummy cake together!" She wrapped her tiny self around me; she only came up to my waist. She lifted her chin up so that she could see me, and she gave me a closed-eye smile.

"Aww, isn't she adorable?" Said one of the twins again.

"Yeah, but this one's a real cutie too," the other one tilted my face towards his while smiling at me like the Cheshire Cat. I shoved him away from me.

"You can drop your acts now," I smoothed down the front of my uniform, which made me look like someone's spy or bodyguard.

"Who said it was an act?" The twins said in perfect sync as they wrapped their arms around my shoulders. Were these people for real?

"Guys, leave her alone she's gonna think that you're all weirdos. Well...never mind you guys _are_ weirdos," Haruhi shooed the twins away from me, and I couldn't help but notice how everyone took an interest to me because Haruhi knew me.

"Haruhi, why are you pretending to me a guy?" I asked with a poker face.

"I broke an vase worth 8,000,000 yen," she said flatly. I didn't say anything for a few seconds. No one said anything actually, everyone seemed to be waiting for my reaction, and so silence loomed over the ornate room. It took a little while for the information to sink in.

"You what?!" Panic washed over me. Eight million yen?!

"Don't worry about it though, I'm working as a Host to pay it off. I'm fine though, really. These guys aren't that bad," her face and voice was just as calm as before, and she said it as if it wasn't a big deal. Mother and I can't earn that money even if we worked twenty-four hours seven days a week for the rest of our miserable lives. I glared at the rest of the boys. This Host club consisted of the twins, the loud flirt from earlier, a tall, emotionless guy who looked like he belonged in a yakuza, a little blonde boy who was playing with Hotaru earlier, and that nerd with glasses who had the audacity to threaten a child. It was such a strange group of people, and the even stranger thing about them was that they were all very attractive. I'm sure they're even more appealing than some J pop stars! They were all handsome and rich, and probably lived in mansions that resembled castles. Careless rich jerks, that's what they are. I eyed them up and down, with a glare plastered on my face.

"Don't be so alarmed princess, we are only just a group of handsome boys with too much time on their hands seeking to entertain beautiful girls who also, have way too much time on their hands. The Host club is basically the playground for the super rich and beautiful," he bent on one knee and grabbed my hand again. Who did he think he is? Some prince? I jerked my hand away.

"Listen pal, I don't know who you think you are but I demand that you get rid of this ridiculous debt. It'll take longer than this girl's entire life to pay off that kind of money. Heck, even if her entire family combined can't make that kind of money. You're probably rich, so why don't you just let it go this one time?" Tamaki only laughed as he stood up. He's _laughing?_

"You're such a caring sister to Haruhi, I bet you have a kind heart!" Said the blonde. My face froze, and I felt guilty. If Haruhi's dad and my mom found about this huge debt, _I_ will most likely have to help pay it off. _I_ don't want to do that. The only reason why I was so worked up was because _I_ didn't want to work anymore than I already did; I'm selfish. _I_ only looked out for my own interest, and Hotaru's. But when this Tamaki guy thought that I was being a kind soul, I was really just thinking about myself. I felt dirty, and as if I had done something wrong. I put on an emotionless mask and shrugged, not denying or confirming what the boy said. I'm so cruel.

I was introduced to everyone, and everyone was introduced to me. These people live in a very different world. They have different goals, different worries, and they live a completely different reality from me. Living in ornate mansions laced in gold, eating only the finest of foods and being clothed in the most expensive of clothes, these boys don't know what it's like to live in constant worry on whether or not they'll have enough money to get by. Their world is full of limousines, parties, and luxury. They don't have to lift a single finger, because they have hundreds of servants that do everything for them. They live a carefree life, and bask in their wealth. I would expect such group of people to only associate with the most beautiful or wealthy, but they choose to be with Haruhi. She, like me, is nothing more but a little commoner who in the future could even become a servant where they wouldn't be given a second glance. But, here they were, staring at Haruhi and giving her their utmost attention as if she was the most beautiful princess who ever walked the earth. Based on what I've seen, I'm sure all the girls at this school would give anything to be genuinely loved and cared for by these men, these handsome princes. They probably try so hard to look beautiful, to perhaps even receive just a small glance from one of them. Haruhi seems to have captivated all of them without even trying. Life seems to be all too easy for her.

After saying out goodbyes, I walked with Hotaru and Haruhi home. Well, it was Haruhi's home. Two weeks until we all move into one apartment, two more weeks until Haruhi becomes my stepsister. Hotaru happily skipped while humming a song she made up on our way to Haruhi's apartment, and she insisted on holding Haruhi's hand. I slightly smiled, knowing how this change will be good for Hotaru. Even if I may not be happy with our current situation, I can't really do anything about it. I have to endure this, no matter how much I hate it because it's what's best for mom and Hotaru. But, I don't know if I'll ever learn to like Haruhi or Ryoji. They may be becoming our official "family" soon, but they're still strangers to me. Strange people who are too kind for this world, two people who will change everything.

I know that it's childish of me, but I always hoped that maybe our real father would come back one day. Everyday, I always had a small ray of hope of seeing him again, seeing our family happy and together again. Deep down, I always knew this was just a childish fantasy, but I still held on to this hope anyway. But now I know for certain, that this will never be.


	3. A Shadow

**A Shadow**

The blaring alarm screeched across the room, and my hand smashed it to kill the noise. Jerking upright in bed, I opened my eyes and glared at the wall in front of me. The color of the wall is infuriating me. It's so white and blank, and I felt as if the wall was staring at me.

"What are you looking at?" I said to the wall. I hate everything. I want to destroy everything.

"Onee-san?" My sister popped her head out from my door, and a blinding light flooded into the room. I hissed while shutting my eyes.

"Oh good, you're up. I'll leave your coffee on the kitchen table," she shut the door just in time before the pillow that I hurled hit her.

* * *

"Sorry Hotaru, I didn't get any sleep last night." I slumped into the kitchen chair as I sipped the steaming coffee that Hotaru had placed in front of me.

"You're always like that in the morning, so it's okay!" She smiled sweetly at me before going on her tippy toes, and pecking me on the cheek. I gave her a slight smile, she's so sweet.

"I'm sure we all know by now that you're a monster in the morning. I'm pretty sure you can scare even the scariest of yakuzas!" My mom joked as she handed Hotaru a bowl of cereal. I shrugged as I continued to sip my drink, and feeling some energy starting to seep through my veins.

"Hitomi dear, I think we should really go to the doctor or something. Your insomnia only seems to be getting worse." Mother gazed at me with concern swimming in her warm eyes.

"No, I'll be fine. I've started writing for an hour before going to bed. Having a daily routine will probably help." I glanced at Hotaru who chomped away her chocolate-cereal breakfast.

"Tomorrow's the big day, are you excited?" My heart sank a bit when my mom said that, but my face still appeared normal and neutral. I shrugged my shoulders to make it seem that I wasn't bothered or excited about it.

"I guess," I said in a monotone voice, concealing my true feelings toward the matter.

"I hope that we can all be a big, happy family together. And I just want to say, I'm so proud of you Hitomi. You've been so strong during theses past years. But even though we're going through a drastic change, you're still my big, reliable girl. I love you darling," mother's eyes were watery, and her slim hand was gently resting on my shoulder. Guilt pricked my heart. I couldn't tell her how angry I felt about her remarrying. I can't tell her how much I hated the idea of having to live with Ryoji and Haruhi. I couldn't, my mom depended on me so much, and she wanted so badly for me to be happy with our new stepfamily. I locked the tempest of feelings away, and hid them so deep within myself that I started to feel a bit numb. I had to pretend to be happy; I have to be a good girl, for mom. I gave her a practiced smile, one that even Hotaru couldn't see through.

"I love you too, mom." She pulled me in for a warm embrace, and I rested my head on her shoulder. My eyes flickered up around the small apartment. There were towers of boxes stacked up everywhere.

"I want to join the hug too!" Hotaru hopped off of her chair and skipped towards us. She wrapped her tiny arms around mom and I. Mom laughed, and we engulfed her tiny form in our arms.

* * *

After breakfast, I dropped off Hotaru at school and then rode to my own. No one except my teachers knew that I was moving. Even if people did know, they would feel indifferent towards the matter. I was not their friend; actually, I was a stranger. Whenever we have substitutes who call out attendance, people still say: "Who's that?" When they hear my name being called. Even though I had attended the same middle school as some of the students, they still don't know who I am. Since I was in the sixth grade, I was just a shadow that wandered about the school. I was always alone, and I liked it that way. After classes and school, I vanished from the view of everyone else. It was so much better that way because now that I'm leaving, no one will know that I was even here. No one would question me or try to get into my personal space. The impenetrable wall that I have built will still remain even in my new school. Just as I have been a shadow here, I'll be a shadow there as well. Many teens would hate the loneliness of being an outsider, but I appreciate the solitude.

The dinner with Haruhi and her dad from two weeks ago was rather...interesting. I couldn't help but notice how her dad would act just like the customers at Haruhi's "Host Club" when they were with one of the seven hosts around Hotaru. I haven't seen any of Haruhi's friends since that day because of work. I don't have work today since I'll be moving tomorrow.

Ryoji and mom are going to be an official couple after this evening, when they complete paper works that would legally register them as a couple. Haruhi, Hotaru, and I have been told again and again about how the two of them met and fell in love.

According to mom and Ryoji, the two of them met at a bus stop. Mom was panicking and she was on the brink of tears. She had been warned by her boss the day before that if she was late for work again, she would be fired. She met Ryoji, who was kind enough to drive her to her workplace. On a bike. Afterwards, they kept running into each other coincidentally, and they started meeting each other.

My bike skidded to a halt, and I hopped off. I walked over to the bicycle parking lot, and locked up my small vehicle as usual. Everyday has I been the same pattern for me. And so, it felt weird knowing that today would be the last day would have to ride a bike to school. Although I've never seen our new home, I know that it will be close enough to the schools of Ouran to walk.

School passed by in a blur, and it felt as if nothing was going to change at all. It didn't feel as if I'd never see any one of my peers or teachers again. It felt as if on Monday, I would still ride Hotaru to school on my bike and then to Goru High School. The same, idiot girls giggled while standing around my locker and blocking my way. The same teachers droned on in the same, monotone voices all day. The same boy sat behind me in math, snoring away and never paying attention to anything around him.

I've attended the schools the Goru District my entire life. But, I felt no shred of remorse or sadness as I exited the school's driveway for the last time. I was merely leaving a school full of familiar strangers, whose faces I would forget. Strangers who would become distant memories of a fairy tale story. Strangers who never knew my name.


	4. The Dream House

**The Dream House**

"Our new home is so big!" Hotaru shot out of the car door as soon as Ryoji parked. She stopped in front of the two-story house that loomed over her. The dollhouse was a cheerful shade of baby blue, and the door and window frames were white. I got out of the car and Haruhi, Mom, and Ryoji did too.

"Isn't it lovely?" My mother smiled as she looked at me. I nodded, and then walked over to Hotaru, who was grinning ear-to-ear.

"Onee-san, do I get my own room?"

"I don't know, ask mom." My eyes roved about, taking in the house and its surroundings. There was a small yard on the front, and a couple of hydrangea bushes. The leaves stirred. Squinting my eyes, I noticed a small, black shadow crawl out from it. It was a black cat. Hotaru skipped away towards the car again, and seeing that everyone was busy, I quietly approached the stray.

The cat was limping, and it's gold eyes flashed when it saw me. Before I could get too close, it dragged itself away to the neighbor's yard.

"The moving trucks are here!" Ryoji said. Jerking my head towards the street, two rumbling trucks thundered towards us. The monstrous noise halted when the they came into a screeching stop as it parked right behind Ryoji's car. I ran over towards where everyone else was at. I snuck a couple of glances back towards the bush with the image of the cat still in my brain.

"Maybe we should help out," Haruhi said as she eyed the gray trucks.

"Yeah," I shoved my hands into my jean pockets. I can't believe it's already been two weeks. Mom and Ryoji are married now.

Five men jumped out from the trucks, all wearing t-shirts and jeans. Ryoji went over to talk to them, and mom trailed after him. My eyes followed hers, which were trained on Ryoji. Ever since mom broke the news to us about her and Ryoji, there was a radiant sparkle in her eyes that never dimmed. Her expression was always bright, just like back then. A ghost of a smile always lingered on her lips, and a playful aura surrounded her. I continued watching mom as her form grew smaller as she neared her new husband.

Hotaru giggled. My eyes flicked onto her, only finding her small form leaning over to pick a daisy from the side of the road.

I dropped my gaze to the dirt ground, and kicked at a small pebble. Why didn't I notice the change in her before now? Was it because I rarely saw her? For the longest time, all I could remember was the ocean of sadness that constantly swam in her honey eyes. The image of her calloused hands and blank expression stuck with me, even when they started disappearing.

BANG!

I snapped my head up. The moving men opened up the truck's trunks, and started lowering the ramps.

"Hey Haruhi! Hitomi! Could you two come and help out?" Ryoji called over to us.

"Sure!" Haruhi called back. I slipped my hands out from my pockets, and started walking towards the trucks next to her.

"I want to help too!" Hotaru jogged to catch up with our strides, and soon we stood right in front of the trucks. Ryoji beamed at her, and then kneeled down so that he was eye-level with her.

"Some of the boxes are too heavy for you. But don't worry, we will call you to help when there's something small to carry. Kay?" Hotaru smiled back, and tucked the daisy she had plucked into Ryoji's hair.

"Okay daddy!" A sweet, closed-eye smile lit up her chubby face. I almost flinched, and turned away.

"Awwwww! You sweet angel!" Ryoji picked her up and spun her around, and Hotaru giggled.

"She's cute." Haruhi said. She wore a small smile on her face, and a warm twinkle was present in her mocha eyes. Mom chuckled, her eyes also glimmering and fixed on the pair.

"Ryoji is a good man." She placed her slim hand on Haruhi's shoulder. Haruhi and mom then looked at each other, their soft expressions unfaltering. I tore my gaze away, and briskly strolled up the ramp. I grabbed the first box, and started going down.

"Careful, you don't wanna hurt your back." One of the men said. I gave him a curt nod, while continuing my way.

"Hey hon, could you open the front door?" Ryoji called over to mom, while placing Hotaru down.

"Sure. Toss me the keys." Mom replied. Ryoji dug around his pocket, before throwing them. Mom caught them with both hands, then jogged away towards the front door.

Hotaru stayed near the car, out of the way from the movers men. Haruhi, Ryoji, mom and I all helped out, and so unloading took only two hours. The inside of the house was mostly white, and the floors were wood. The design looked more western than Japanese, and there weren't any sliding doors. The house seemed to be relatively new, maybe three or five years old.

The house had three bedrooms and three bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a dining room.

* * *

We all stood on the front lawn, watching as Ryoji paid the movers men. Afterwards, they drove away.

"Now it's time to unpack!" Mom sighed while clapping her hands together.

"Unpacking! Unpacking!" Hotaru hopped up and down, her pigtails bouncing with her. Ryoji groaned while popping his back and neck.

"First, nappy time." He yawned.

"Dad." Haruhi arched an eyebrow. "There's nowhere to take a nap right now. And it's almost lunchtime." She crossed her arms, and Ryoji walked past her towards the inside of the house.

"I can just sleep on the floor." He said. We all trailed behind him and went inside.

"Girls, how about you start unpacking your things for your bedrooms?" Mom said. I nodded.

"Alright." Said Haruhi.

"Do I get my own room?" Asked Hotaru again.

"Sorry darling, but you're going to have to share with someone, okay? And besides. You're scared of the dark." Mom leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"Can I sleep with you and daddy then?" She asked. Mom beamed.

"Of course, sweetheart." She grabbed Hotaru's hand while standing up. I went up the stairs and into the room with all of Hotaru and my boxes in it. The dressers were in place, but the futons were still in one of the big boxes. I skimmed the towers of packed items, until I saw a box that read "clothes" in sharpie.

A muted, burst of laughter came from downstairs where everyone else was. My head snapped towards the sound, but I only saw the top of the empty staircase. Ryoji's voice was the loudest, and mom's laughter echoed in my ears. I turned back to the box of clothes.

Sighing, I opened it up, and started unpacking.


End file.
